Velocipede



(No Model.)

T. B. EST'EP.

VELOGIPEDB. i No. 499,724. Patented June 20, 1893.

FIG- 1.

ttest 1721 13512501 .NITE S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. ESTEP, OF NORWO OD, OHIO.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,724, dated June 20, 1893. Application filed November 21. 1892. Serial No. 452,724. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. ESTEP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nor-- wood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VelocipedeWVagons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to those velocipedewagons which are capable of being propelled by the joint labor of a number of riders, and my improvement comprises a peculiar combination of cross-handles, reciprocating-shaft, connecting rods, fly-wheels and belts or chains wherewith a very high velocity is imparted to the rear or driving-wheels of the vehicle, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings,Figure l is a side elevation of my improved velocipede, the front of the main frame being broken away and sectioned, so as to expose the pilot wheel and its bearings. Fig. 2 is a plan of the vehicle, portions of the same being removed to show certain details of construction.

The main frame A is provided with any suitable number of seats B, each of which latter may carry one or two riders, who apply their power to cross-handles 0, projecting horizontally from'a reciprocating-shaft D that occupies the center of the vehicle. This shaft is located a suitable distance above the seats, and is guided in a proper path by standards E, whose lower ends are firmly secured to the main frame.

F F, are other standards secured to said frame and steadied by means of braces ff, short shafts G, G, being journaled in the upper ends of these standards, as seenin Fig. 2. Attached to the inner ends of these shafts are fly-wheels H, H, driven from the shaft D, by connecting rods 71., h, and passing around these fly wheels are belts, bands or chains I, I, that transmit motion to pulleys J, J, fastened upon the rear axle K, to which latter the driving wheels L, L, are rigidly secured.

Projecting from the rear of the main frame is a platform M, having an elevated seat m,

for a person who operates a steering-wheelo at the upper end of a shaft 0, the lower end of this shaft being provided with another wheel 0 to which is secured atp the mid length of a wire rope P. This rope is carried forward and has its front ends attached at p, p, to a ring R, adapted to turn horizontallyin apair of segmental bearings S, S, secured to the main frame. Ring R has applied to it the axle t of pilot wheel T. U, U, are steps at the rear of the machine.

My velocipede is propelled in the following manner: After the riders have been seated, they grasp the handles 0, and work them back and forth in the same manner a boat is rowed, thereby imparting a reciprocating motion to the central shaft D. The connecting rods h 7?. convert this reciprocating motion of the shaft into circular motion of the flywheels H, H, and the latter turn the pulleys J, J, through the instrumentality of the belts or chains I, I. Now, as these fly-Wheels are considerably larger in diameter than the pulleys, it is evident every turn of said wheels produces a number of revolutions of said pulleys, and therefore, a moderate motion of shaft Dis sufficient to propel the vehicle at a very rapid speed. The vehicle can be readily diverted from a straight path by the steersman turning the wheel 0, which act causes the rope or chain P to revolve the ring R a sufficient distance within its bearings S, S, thereby changing the course of the velocipede, either to the right or left, as may be desired. The vacant space around the standards F, F, may be utilized for carrying baggage, refreshments, &c., thus rendering the vehicle especially serviceable for picnics, &c. In some cases the seats may be dispensed with and the riders stand while operating the handles, which modification of the invention would furnish a hand-car for rail-road purposes, bnt in this event four wheels would be used, instead of three, as shown. Finally, the pulleys J, J, may be integral with a single sleeve secured to the rear axle K.

I claim as my invention- The combination, in a velocipede wagon, of a series of standards E, a shaft D reciproeating withinsaid standards, and thereby conpulley to the wheels H, H, all as herein de- 10 fined to a rectilineal path, lateral handles C scribed, and for the purpose stated. projecting rigidly from said shaft, a pair of In testimony whereof I affix my signature in fiy-wheels H, H, journaled in hearings on the presence of two witnesses.

5 opposite sides of the shaft, rods h, h, connecting the latter to said fly-wheels, a rear axle K THOMAS Esq having the driving-wheels L, L, attached to Witnesses: it, a pulley J secured to said axle, and end- JAMES H. LAYMAN,

less bands or chains I, 1, extending from said JOHN M. SMEDES. 

